Unions renegotiate membership

The UTSMSU and UTSU will be renegotiating their membership agreement that governs the relationship between the two student organizations.

In a press release posted on both the UTMSU and UTSU’s respective Facebook pages the unions state that the agreement will be negotiated with the assistance of a third-party facilitator.

Both parties are autonomous organizations and function independently of one another. The UTSU claims to represent the interests of all U of T students including students at UTM, according to the original 2008 agreement.

“UTSU shall continue to represent the interests of, and provide services to, UTM undergraduate students in situation where broader, campus-wide advocacy is appropriate,” the agreement reads.

The agreement permits UTSU to represent UTM students during meetings at Governing Council as the sole representative of UTM full-time undergraduate students, as well as meetings at Hart House Council and meetings of the council on student services.

The agreement also permits the UTSU to provide services to UTM students that the UTMSU does not provide, if the UTSU feels the need that such a service or program be in place.

By the agreement, UTSU is also responsible for sending UTMSU the fees and levies collected from UTM students which are known as the UTMSU Fees.

UTM undergraduates currently pay fees for both the UTMSU and UTSU through their tuition fees.

According to the press release, a vote will be held to determine the termination of the deal if both parties are unable to reach an agreement.